CN110740918B

CN110740918B - Station for a cable transportation system, cable transportation system comprising such a station and method for operating such a cable transportation system

Info

Publication number: CN110740918B
Application number: CN201880023453.2A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 鲁道夫·贝哈
Original assignee: Leitner AG
Current assignee: Leitner AG
Priority date: 2017-04-03
Filing date: 2018-04-03
Publication date: 2021-02-09
Anticipated expiration: 2038-04-03
Also published as: IT201700036544A1; CN110740918A; WO2018185653A1; US20210101626A1; US11377127B2; EP3606799A1; EP3606799B1

Abstract

A docking station for a cable transportation system comprising a plurality of transportation units supported and moved by at least one cable outside the docking station, the docking station comprising: an inlet and an outlet for the transport unit; a guide device for guiding the transport unit between the entrance and the exit inside the platform; wherein the guiding device comprises an entrance guide extending from the entrance to the bifurcation point, a plurality of intermediate guides extending along different paths between the bifurcation point and the junction point, and an exit guide extending from the junction point to the exit of the platform; a control unit configured for alternately transporting the at least one transport unit along the intermediate guide and for temporarily stopping the transport unit at the at least one stopping point along the intermediate guide to allow boarding and disembarking when the transport unit is stopped.

Description

Station for a cable transportation system, cable transportation system comprising such a station and method for operating such a cable transportation system

Priority declaration

The present application claims priority from italian patent application No. 102017000036544 filed on 3/4/2017, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a platform for a cable transportation system.

In particular, the present invention relates to a platform of a cable transportation system for boarding and disembarking passengers or materials, which are transported outside the platform by a transportation unit (e.g. a seat or a gondola or the like) supported and/or towed by at least one cable.

Even more particularly, the invention relates to a station of a cable transport system, which may be an upstream station, a downstream station or an intermediate station, inside which stations transport units temporarily stop their advance to allow safe boarding and disembarking.

Background

As is known, a station of a cable transportation system comprises an inlet and an outlet for transportation units, which are arranged one after the other in succession. At the inlet and the outlet, respectively, the platform is provided with means for disconnecting and coupling the transport unit with the cable, which in fact supports/pulls the transport unit only outside the platform. The purpose of this selective separation of the transit units from the cable inside the platform is to decelerate the transit units passing through the platform without decelerating the remaining transit units moving outside the platform.

In this type of platform, it is known to provide a guide system configured to support the transport units when they are detached from the cables and to guide them from the entrance to the exit of the platform. The guide means is usually in the form of at least one guide rail located above the transport unit, which guide rail extends in plan view from an entrance to an exit of the platform, where the guide rail ends in a cable coupling device. In addition to the coupling means, the transport unit is coupled (e.g. clamped) to the cable and advanced to the next station of the system.

The extension of the guide means within the docking station in the plane defined above may be divided into a series of sections or sectors. In particular, it can be recognized that:

-an entry section delimited upstream by the station entry point, at which entry section cable separation means are provided and along which entry section the transport unit is decelerated;

-an intermediate part of the login and logoff; and

an exit section delimited downstream by the station exit point, at which exit section the cable coupling means are provided, and along which exit section the transport unit is accelerated to a speed so as to allow a firm coupling to the cable, i.e. without jerking.

The terms "upstream" and "downstream" are indicated in relation to the forward direction of the transport unit in the docking station.

In order to maximize the hourly transport capacity of the system, it is now common practice in the prior art not to stop the transport unit during boarding and disembarking. Therefore, along the intermediate guide portion, the conveying unit advances at a constant low speed.

In addition and in order to maximize the hourly transport capacity of the system, it is known to provide a plurality of intermediate guide sections within the platform so as to provide a plurality of boarding and disembarking areas arranged in a parallel configuration to each other.

According to these systems, the inlet guide section terminates downstream at a bifurcation point of the guide itself beyond which at least two intermediate guide sections branch off along two different paths. It is known to provide selector devices, for example of the switch type, at the bifurcation point, configured to deliver the units alternately along one or the other of the two intermediate guide portions. Similarly, the outlet guide section starts upstream at a confluence point where the two intermediate portions for ascending and descending merge.

The prior art documents EP2157004, FR2752803 and EP1849674 show a platform as described above, in which inside the platform there are a plurality of boarding and disembarking areas mutually arranged in a parallel configuration, along which the transport unit advances at a constant low speed.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is to provide an alternative platform for a cable transportation system, in which passengers safely and comfortably board and disembark without impairing the hourly transportation capacity of the respective cable transportation system.

According to the invention, the platform comprises an entrance and an exit for the passage of a plurality of transport units (e.g. gondolas, seats, etc.) which are arranged one after the other in succession. As is known, outside the docking station, the transport unit is supported and moved by at least one cable. Inside the docking station, the transport unit is detached from the cable and guided along suitable guiding means, such as upper rails. For this purpose, the station is therefore provided with cable disconnecting devices and cable coupling devices at the inlet and outlet. In the inventive platform, the guide means extends inside the platform between an entrance and an exit in a plan view and comprises an entrance guide extending from the entrance to a bifurcation point, a plurality of intermediate guides extending along different paths between the bifurcation point and a junction point, and an exit guide extending from the junction point to the exit of the platform.

The station of the invention also comprises a control unit configured for alternately conveying at least one transport unit along the intermediate guide, which control unit may also be a control unit of the entire system. In other words, all transport units travel in line on the entry guide and are alternately diverted individually or in groups to one or the other intermediate guide at the branching point.

In particular, according to the invention, the control unit also temporarily stops the transport unit at least one stop point along the intermediate guide to allow boarding and disembarking when the transport unit stops. In case the control unit alternately steers one group or train of transport units along the intermediate guide, each pod in the steering group will be parked at its own parking point and after the complete boarding and disembarking, the whole group will again start out simultaneously towards the exit guide. In this way, the entire group of transport units simultaneously ascends and descends, as is the case with a normal subway car.

Although the transport units are temporarily parked, their movement outside the platform is not slowed down, since the transport units at the entry are diverted by the control unit to the intermediate guide, in which there is always a free parking point.

Advantageously, in accordance with the above, the present invention allows for safe boarding and disembarking of the conveyor unit while parked without compromising the hourly conveyor capacity of the system. In fact, boarding and disembarking while the gondola is moving is considered disadvantageous, especially in urban and tourist transport, because in such environments passengers are used to other urban transport modes where boarding and disembarking are always carried out while the vehicle is stationary. Furthermore, the number of mobility-impaired people in urban applications is significantly greater than in winter sports applications. In general, considering "m" as the number of intermediate guides provided and "n" as the number of conveying units constituting a divert group, the theoretical stopping time is equal to (m-1) × n × the pitch between the aligned pods without compromising the hourly conveying capacity of the system and keeping the distance of the aligned conveying units unchanged.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the docking station comprises at least one plate or platform for boarding and/or disembarking at least one part of the intermediate guide. In particular, such a platform is provided with a plurality of platform doors at the docking points where the transport units are docked.

Advantageously, such an embodiment increases the safety of the platform, since the platform door is configured to open only when a stationary transport unit is present, and also since it avoids the risk of falling into the platform pit.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the station comprises at least one time indication means for indicating the waiting time at each stop.

Advantageously, this embodiment allows systematically organizing the filling of the pods, with each stop indicating a waiting time. Therefore, people waiting can be easily distributed at a plurality of boarding points according to the waiting time.

Preferably, the guide device of the invention comprises at least one module having a first intermediate guide and a second intermediate guide configured to define an inner zone between the intermediate guides and two outer zones outside the intermediate guides with respect to the inner zone. Starting from this configuration of the guides, the invention can be seen in different variants, each of which aims at optimizing the boarding/disembarking procedure or simplifying the layout of the stations.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the docking station comprises an internal common platform for boarding and disembarking and a service platform for all transport units in the interior area. The term "boarding" is intended to mean that the platform is provided with a plurality of devices suitable for the passage of passengers who have to board the transport unit, whereas the term "boarding" is intended to mean that the platform is provided with a plurality of devices suitable for the passage of passengers who come out of the transport unit and have to leave the platform. Thus, when only a "boarding" or "alighting" platform is indicated, this will refer to a platform that is provided only in a particular direction and allows passage of passengers. In the above example, a platform common in the interior is to be understood as a platform for both boarding and disembarking of all transport units turning to the middle guide.

Advantageously, this embodiment simplifies the layout of the stations by providing a single central platform.

An alternative embodiment of the invention provides two external boarding and disembarking platforms respectively accommodated in the outer region of each intermediate guide. According to this embodiment, the boarding and/or the disembarking of the transport unit turned to the intermediate guide is only performed by the respective outer platform. In other words, not all the transport units passing through the stations can enter and exit from the outer platforms, only those transport units facing the corresponding platforms that will turn along the intermediate guides.

Advantageously, according to this embodiment, the distribution of passengers is organized in a systematic way, avoiding common concentration areas.

Alternative embodiments of the present invention provide internal boarding and disembarking platforms at the interior region and external boarding and disembarking platforms at the exterior region. According to this embodiment, the carrying unit can be simplified by installing the door only at one side of the carrying unit (i.e., the side facing the external platform).

Alternative embodiments of the present invention provide an outer platform at each outer region and an inner platform at the inner region. According to this embodiment, the internal platform is configured to be only a platform for boarding or disembarking, while the remaining external platforms are configured to be only complementary platforms for boarding or disembarking.

Advantageously, this embodiment enables the organization of the system, avoiding the creation of two opposing moving passenger flows on the same platform.

Of course, the invention also extends to an entire cable transportation system comprising a transportation unit, a cable and a plurality of stations, wherein at least one station is a station as described above.

Drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of non-limiting embodiments thereof, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

fig. 1 is a schematic side view of a part of a cable system equipped with an exemplary docking station according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the detail denoted II in fig. 1, showing an embodiment of the guiding device within the docking station;

fig. 3 to 6 show schematic views of alternative embodiments of the docking station according to the invention.

Detailed Description

The present invention relates to a station for a cable transportation system, a cable transportation system equipped with such a station and a method for operating the system with regard to the management of the movement of a transportation unit within the station.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic side view of a part of a cable system 2 with a docking station 1 according to the invention. In particular, fig. 1 shows a plurality of transport units 3 connected one after the other, which transport units 3 are supported and moved outside the docking station 1 by load-bearing/traction cables 4. It is already apparent from the schematic illustration of fig. 1 that, within the inventive platform 1, the transport units 3 are alternately diverted along two different paths, so that at least two transport units are at least one platform for boarding and disembarking. According to the example in fig. 1, the station has three

platforms

15, 16 and 17 between two transport units 3 and outside these two transport units 3, respectively. Reference numeral 14 in fig. 1 denotes a control unit configured to control the movement of the transport unit 3 inside the platform 1. However, the control unit 14 can also be used to control the entire system, so that it is not necessary to provide a control unit for each station.

Fig. 2 shows an enlarged view of the detail denoted II in fig. 1. In particular, fig. 2 shows how the transport unit is guided inside the platform 1, where the transport unit is no longer coupled to the cable 4.

According to the example of fig. 2, the docking station 1 comprises a guide arrangement 7 in the form of a pair of

guide rails

21, 22, which pair of

guide rails

21, 22 support respective roller portions of a boom 23 connected to a top 24 of the transport unit 3. The advancement, acceleration and deceleration of the transport unit along these

rails

21, 22 is produced by motorized wheels (not shown and preferably made of rubber) acting on corresponding (preferably knurled) portions 26 at the top of the cantilever 23. At the bottom, the illustrated transport unit 3 is accommodated by a side wall 20, which side wall 20 is optionally integrated into the platform 17 for boarding and disembarking.

Fig. 3 to 6 show schematic views of alternative embodiments of the docking station according to the invention. In particular, these embodiments differ in the arrangement of the

platforms

15, 16, 17 for boarding and disembarking relative to the guide device 7. However, all these embodiments (even showing repeatable modules within the same station) allow to control the movement of the transport unit 3 in the station 1 as provided by the present invention. In this regard, before describing in detail the differences of the embodiments of fig. 3-6, common features that help to implement the present invention will be noted.

In particular, in all the embodiments of fig. 3 to 6, the guiding device 7 comprises a plurality of guides (and shown in plan view) arranged one after the other between the inlet 5 and the outlet 6 of the station. At such points of entry 5 and exit 6 of the station 1,

reference numbers

25 and 27 indicate means for disconnecting and connecting the cables 4, respectively. Arrows I and O indicate the direction of advance of the transport unit 3 into the station 1 and out of the station 1.

In particular, the guiding device 7 comprises an entrance guide 8 extending from the entrance 5 to the bifurcation 9, two

intermediate guides

10, 11 extending along different paths between the bifurcation 9 and the junction 12, and an exit guide 13 extending from the junction 12 to the exit 6 of the station 1. At the bifurcation point 9 and the junction point 12 well-known selector means are provided, which are configured to ensure the safe passage of the transport unit 3 at such a switch. In the example of fig. 3 to 6, the station 1 is configured as an upstream station or a downstream station, but for the purpose of the present invention, the station 1 may also be an intermediate station.

In view of the presence of the two

intermediate guides

10 and 11, the control unit 14 conveys the conveyor units 3 along the first intermediate guide 10 and the subsequent conveyor units 3 along the first intermediate guide 11 in an alternating cyclical manner by controlling the operation of the selector 9. According to the example shown, the control unit 14 activates the selector 9 when a group or column of units 3 (for example, four as shown) arrives, instead of activating the selector 9 when a single delivery unit 3 passes. According to the invention, the control unit 14 also commands the transport unit 3 to stop temporarily at respective stopping points along the

intermediate guides

10, 11 to allow boarding and disembarking when the transport unit 3 stops. According to this example, i.e. with groups of four selective steering units 3, the control of the stations can be schematically represented as follows.

Initially, all the stops provided along the

intermediate guides

10 and 11 are occupied by the respective stationary transport units to allow boarding and disembarking. In this case, when the first group of transporting units 3 is set to move along the first intermediate guide 10, the transporting units enter the station. The first unit of the first group exiting the station occupies the gap left along the cable 4 by the vehicle entering the station 1. The inlet unit is turned towards the first intermediate guide 10 being emptied until it reaches a rest position downstream of the guide. Similarly, the next unit entering the platform 1 will be diverted towards the first intermediate guide 10 until it reaches the free stop position downstream of the guide. As described above, the "gap" left by the unit entering the station along the cable 4 is filled by the unit leaving the station.

This process continues until the rest position provided along the first intermediate guide 10 is completely filled. At this time, the next incoming conveyor unit is no longer diverted to the first intermediate guide 10, but instead to the second intermediate guide 11, where the current row of units is operated to leave the platform 1. Similarly, as described above, the second intermediate guide 11 is likewise gradually emptied and refilled along the rest position. In this case, the starting point is reached again, and the cycle may be repeated.

As previously mentioned, the operation of the station as described above applies to all the embodiments shown in fig. 3 to 6, which differ from each other in terms of the relative positioning of the platform with respect to the unit 3 in the rest position along the

intermediate guides

10, 11.

According to the example in fig. 3, the docking station 1 comprises an internally common boarding and disembarking platform 15 arranged in the inner area between the first intermediate guide 10 and the second intermediate guide 11. Thus, according to this example, the platform 15 serves as a platform for all boarding and disembarking of the transport units 3 passing through this platform.

According to the example in fig. 4, the station 1 comprises

platforms

16, 17 for external boarding and disembarking. Thus, according to this example, the platform 16 serves as a platform for boarding and alighting of all the carrying units 3 conveyed along the second intermediate guide 11, while the platform 17 serves as a platform for boarding and alighting of all the carrying units 3 conveyed along the first intermediate guide 10.

According to the example in fig. 5, the platform 1 comprises an internal boarding and disembarking platform 15 accommodated in an inner area between the first intermediate guide 10 and the second intermediate guide 11 and external boarding and disembarking

platforms

16, 17 at an outer area of one of the

intermediate guides

10, 11. This example shows an outer platform 16 coupled to the second intermediate guide 11, but there may alternatively be a platform 17 coupled to the first intermediate guide 10.

According to the example in fig. 6, the station 1 comprises an external boarding (or disembarking)

platform

16, 17 in each outer area of the

intermediate guides

10, 11 and an internal boarding (or disembarking) platform 15 in the inner area between the first intermediate guide 10 and the second intermediate guide 11.

In fig. 3 to 6, the

platforms

15, 16, 17 comprise a plurality of platform doors 18 at the docking points, where the units 3 are docked along the

intermediate guides

10, 11. Fig. 5 schematically shows a time indication device 19, which time indication device 19 is configured to indicate the waiting time at each stop along the

intermediate guides

10, 11. Of course, these time indication means 19 may also be present in the remaining embodiments of fig. 3, 4 and 6 as well as in other embodiments of the invention which are not shown.

Finally, it is clear that modifications and variations can be made to the invention described herein without thereby departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A platform (1) for a cable transportation system (2), the cable transportation system (2) comprising a plurality of transportation units (3) supported and moved outside the platform (1) by at least one cable (4), the platform (1) comprising:

-an inlet (5) and an outlet (6) for the transport unit (3);

-guiding means (7) for guiding the transport unit (3) inside the platform between the entrance and the exit; wherein the guiding device (7) comprises: an inlet guide (8) extending from the inlet (5) to a bifurcation point (9); a plurality of intermediate guides extending along different paths between the bifurcation point (9) and a junction point (12); and an exit guide (13) extending from the junction (12) to the exit (6) of the docking station (1);

-a control unit (14) configured to alternately divert a group of transport units along the intermediate guide and to temporarily stop a whole group of transport units at a respective plurality of stop points along the intermediate guide, to allow boarding and disembarking when the whole group of transport units stops, and to simultaneously depart towards the exit guide after completing the boarding and the disembarking.

2. A platform according to claim 1, wherein the platform (1) comprises at least one landing (15, 16, 17) for boarding and/or disembarking at least a part of the intermediate guide, said landing having a plurality of landing doors (18) at the docking point.

3. The station according to claim 1, wherein the station (1) comprises at least one time indication device (19) for indicating a waiting time at each stop.

4. A platform according to claim 1, wherein the guide arrangement (7) comprises a first intermediate guide (10) and a second intermediate guide (11), the first intermediate guide (10) and the second intermediate guide (11) being configured to define an inner area between the intermediate guides and two outer areas outside the intermediate guides with respect to the inner area; and an internal common platform for boarding and alighting is arranged in the internal area.

5. A platform according to the preceding claim 1, wherein the guide device (7) comprises a first intermediate guide (10) and a second intermediate guide (11), the first intermediate guide (10) and the second intermediate guide (11) being configured to define an inner area between the intermediate guides and two outer areas outside the intermediate guides with respect to the inner area; an external boarding and disembarking platform is provided in each external area.

6. A platform according to the preceding claim 1, wherein the guide device (7) comprises a first intermediate guide (10) and a second intermediate guide (11), the first intermediate guide (10) and the second intermediate guide (11) being configured to define an inner area between the intermediate guides and two outer areas outside the intermediate guides with respect to the inner area; an internal platform for boarding and disembarking is provided in the internal area, and an external platform for boarding and disembarking is provided in the external area.

7. A platform according to the preceding claim 1, wherein the guide device (7) comprises a first intermediate guide (10) and a second intermediate guide (11), the first intermediate guide (10) and the second intermediate guide (11) being configured to define an inner area between the intermediate guides and two outer areas outside the intermediate guides with respect to the inner area; an external platform for boarding or disembarking is provided in each external area, and an internal platform for boarding or disembarking is provided in the internal area.

8. A cable transportation system (2) comprising:

-at least one station (1) according to claim 1,

-a plurality of transport units (3) supported and moved by at least one cable (4) outside the docking station (1).

9. A method for operating a cable transportation system as claimed in claim 8, the method comprising the steps of:

-providing a station (1) according to the preceding claim 1;

-moving a plurality of transport units (3) one after the other at the entrance of the platform;

-guiding the transport unit (3) inside the docking station (1);

-moving a plurality of transport units (3) one after the other at an exit of the station;

wherein the step of guiding the transport unit (3) inside the docking station (1) comprises the steps of:

-alternately conveying a set of transport units (3) along the intermediate guide;

-bringing the complete group of transport units (3) to a temporary stop at a respective plurality of stop points along the intermediate guide, to allow boarding and disembarking when the complete group of transport units (3) is stopped.